The Difference Between Murder and Culpable Homicide Not Amounting to Murder (Explained Visually)

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The below flowchart, visually explains the difference between Murder (punishable under section 300 of the Indian Penal Code) and Culpable Homicide Not Amounting to Murder (punishable under section 299 of the Indian Penal Code).

Murder is defined in the IPC as:

300. Murder
Except in the cases hereinafter excepted, culpable homicide is murder, if the act by which the death is caused is done with the intention of causing death, or
(Secondly) If it is done with the intention of causing such bodily injury as the offender knows to be likely to cause the death of the person to whom the harm is caused, or
(Thirdly) If it is done with the intention of causing bodily injury to any person and the bodily injury intended to be in­flicted is sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death, or
(Fourthly) If the person committing the act knows that it is so imminently dangerous that it must, in all probability, cause death or such bodily injury as is likely to cause death, and commits such act without any excuse for incurring the risk of causing death or such injury as aforesaid.

Culpable Homicide is defined in the IPC as:

299. Culpable homicide
Whoever causes death by doing an act with the intention of causing death, or with the intention of causing such bodily injury as is likely to cause death, or with the knowledge that he is likely by such act to cause death, commits the offence of culpable homicide.

This visual aid is for academic purposes only and cannot be used to interpret a specific case.

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